Ultimate Note Episode 22 Recap
> Ultimate Note Recap
As the quiet night fell, Uncle Panma ate his meal when a chilling voice echoed from behind him: "Comrade Panma, bring him to me." A familiar scent accompanied the words, deeply unsettling him and making him wonder if Chen Wen Jin was calling for Wu Xie. The next morning, Uncle Panma, equipped with a large pack, led Wu Xie into the mountains. He lamented that the rain had stopped too soon, preventing a mudslide.
He then turned to Wu Xie, his gaze cold, revealing he knew Wu Xie had mimicked the voice last night. Wu Xie attempted to apologize, explaining the urgency of rescuing his friends and his need for Panma's guidance. However, having been tormented by "Sloped-shoulder" using past events against him, Uncle Panma was enraged by such threats and felt that Wu Xie was using the same coercive tactics.
He pulled a sharp blade, intending to kill Wu Xie right there in the mountains. During their chase, they stumbled upon the scattered skeletal remains of the original survey team, which Fatty and Zhang had pieced together. The sight deeply disturbed Uncle Panma, intensifying his resolve to eliminate Wu Xie, as he now believed Wu Xie was also involved in the events he was trying to escape from.
Fortunately, Hei Yan Jing arrived just in time, causing Uncle Panma to flee upon seeing the overwhelming odds. Wu Xie was delighted to find that Xie Yuchen had also come, expressing relief that his trail markings had led them there and saved him from a perilous situation. Hei Yan Jing then revealed that Xie Yuchen had specifically sent him ahead to leave those markings for Wu Xie.
He clarified that while he was initially hired to prevent Wu Xie from joining the expedition, he was now hired by Xie Yuchen to assist them. In parallel, Hei Yan Jing was also overseeing the safe escort of Sister Xiu Xiu, who Xie Yuchen was sending to the airport for her safety, away from the dangers of the mountain expedition.
Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen then concluded that Uncle Panma was indeed responsible for the demise of the initial expedition team, and that despite his escape, "Sloped-shoulder" would likely still pose a threat to him. The trio reached the lakeside, discovering Cox Hendry had set up a large camp there. Cox Hendry’s associate approached them, stating that his boss wished to speak with them.
Cox Hendry then showed them a video of Fatty and Zhang being swept away by a powerful underwater current, confirming he had been monitoring their activities. Wu Xie explained his prior deduction that a siphon passage existed at the lake's bottom, suggesting Zhang and Fatty were likely carried through an underwater tunnel to another location. Xie Yuchen concurred, reinforcing Wu Xie's theory.
Cox Hendry acknowledged he was also searching for their current whereabouts, hinting at a hidden location beneath the lake. Introducing himself as Cox Hendry, he proposed a partnership, offering professional diving equipment essential for descending into the lake. Wu Xie questioned his motives, pointing out Cox Hendry’s extensive resources. Cox Hendry explained that while his men had located the Zhang family's Old Pavilion at the lake's bottom, they could not gain entry.
He believed that Zhang, and possibly Wu Xie, possessed the unique ability to enter. He candidly admitted to seeking the secret of immortality within the pavilion, a pursuit he had been engaged in for a long time, and claimed it was a secret that could be shared. Despite his initial skepticism, Wu Xie, Xie Yuchen, and Hei Yan Jing deliberated, realizing this was their only viable option to continue their search.
Wu Xie decided to descend alone, leaving Xie Yuchen and Hei Yan Jing on the shore to monitor the situation, ensuring there would be someone to watch Cox Hendry and provide assistance if needed. After receiving specialized gear from Cox Hendry, Wu Xie communicated with the surface as he began his descent. At sixty meters, he finally saw the Zhang family's Old Pavilion, which appeared as a submerged Yao village with a distinct Han-style building at its center.
He swam towards the Han structure, pushed open its wooden door, and found an empty room. Inside, he encountered a standing "wall of water." As he passed through the water wall, he discovered he was in an air-filled chamber. He excitedly removed his mask and discovered markings left by Zhang.
He attempted to relay his findings to Xie Yuchen and Hei Yan Jing through his earpiece, but unbeknownst to him, he had lost all contact with the surface after entering the water wall. On the surface, Xie Yuchen and Hei Yan Jing noted the loss of his location signal and communication. Within this strange, dry world, Wu Xie observed Birdman totems on the walls, similar to those seen at the Palace of the Heavenly Queen Mother.
He noticed a peculiar pattern in the gaze of seven Birdmen on a stone door, deducing it was a hint to unlock the mechanism. Taking a calculated risk, he followed the pattern and successfully opened the door. Beyond the door, he finally reunited with Zhang and Fatty. Fatty explained that they had been sucked into this very space by the siphon passage. Together, they explored their surroundings.
They learned that the Yao village was originally constructed to protect the Zhang family's Old Pavilion. A great flood later submerged both the village and the pavilion, creating the current lake. They deduced that the siphon was originally the village's drainage system, which became blocked by a landslide, leading to the flood. They also discovered the unusual physics of the area: there was no effective gravity, allowing them to stand and walk on the surface of the water.
Wu Xie further observed a "dual-linearized gravity" effect upon entering the pavilion, indicating complex protective measures established by the Zhang family to guard an important secret. As they ventured deeper into the pavilion, a terrifying witch suddenly emerged from a dripping water source, startling them.
